Now, whenever you want to discover places in your area, simply tap the new Explore button at the bottom right corner of your map to get a quick look at what’s nearby (where available). With Explore as your guide, you’ll see different places and activities that adapt to each area and moment throughout your day.

The new feature lists local information, showing nearby locations along with reviews and travel distances:

The “Explore” feature also lets users search local results based on travel times or the time of day, as displayed here:

For best search results, Google said users need to be signed into their Google account and have their location reporting and history turned on.

Android users have an added benefit of the “My Location” button within the “Explore” feature to find expanded information on specific locations, including transit schedules and the ability to save a place for later.

The “My Location” button on the Google Maps Android app is located on the bottom right side of the screen, or can be accessed by tapping the blue dot on the map.

The new feature is rolling out this week and will be available to Android and iOS users in the US, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Japan.

About The Author

Amy Gesenhues is a senior editor for Third Door Media, covering the latest news and updates for Search Engine Land, Marketing Land and MarTech Today. From 2009 to 2012, she was an award-winning syndicated columnist for a number of daily newspapers from New York to Texas. With more than ten years of marketing management experience, she has contributed to a variety of traditional and online publications, including MarketingProfs, SoftwareCEO, and Sales and Marketing Management Magazine. Read more of Amy's articles.